Not Just Photos

The faces stared back from the two tables, into the faces of the potential sponsors. Although the children's voices couldn't be heard audibly, their silent pleas could be heard loudly in my heart:

"Please don't overlook me... I am not just a photo. I am a child."

I had found myself there several times in the past five years, facing those tables, looking through the photos. I'll never forget looking through all the faces, and my eyes locking with hers... Bessy.


And yet this time, it was different. Very different.


I wasn't standing in front of the tables, I was standing behind them. The perspective felt so much heavier.

As I prayed over each child, I also prayed that they would know that we cared very much about them, and that we were doing our best to be the hands and feet of God as He worked through us to connect them with a sponsor.


That night, I had the opportunity to help by taking a few boxes home to ship to the Compassion headquarters the following day. Three of those boxes contained the photos of the children still waiting for sponsorship. Not every box was full, but they were nearly full.


One box holds 500 photos. A small percentage of children waiting worldwide.


As I lifted the boxes, I immediately realized that the physical weight of the box felt very much out of proportion to the weight in my heart... It was a familiar feeling in so many ways, for so many reasons.

I knew, I had known all along... these aren't just photos... each of these represents a child. Real children, many of whom have waited for months for a sponsor, and as of that night, were still waiting. Oh Lord, be near...


I had the boxes in the trunk of my car to bring them home, but I didn't have the heart to leave them in the trunk for the night.


After all, there's not just photos, they're children.




My prayer tonight is that each and every one of those children will believe that God cares for them and knows each of their names, and each of their prayers... and that they will soon be connected with a sponsor who will love them and also know their prayers, and their name. A sponsor who is God's answer to their prayer.




If your heart is called to sponsorship, or if you're already a sponsor and have room in your heart for one more... please join us here (Canada). (USA, click HERE)